Fat deposits in the placenta following maternal total parenteral nutrition with intravenous lipid emulsion

Abstract

Total parenteral nutrition with parenteral lipid emulsion is being used with increased frequency in malnourished pregnant women. Placentas examined in 20 reported cases of maternal hyperalimentation with lipid emulsions have been described as normal. We report a case of a 31-year-old pregnant woman who received total parenteral nutrition with daily lipid emulsions for 8 weeks. Intrauterine fetal death was diagnosed at 22 weeks' gestation. The tan-yellow, pale placenta showed vacuolated syncytial cells and Hofbauer cells, which stained for fat by the oil red O stain, in the chorionic villi. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of fat deposits in the placenta associated with intravenous lipid emulsions.